Nom! Nom!
=(^+^)=
It turns out I have bacterial pneumonia. The head of dialysis, Brittany, picked up my prescription
She surprised me with cookies and a turkey sub sandwich, too. Both were delicious!
Kyrie, one of the dialysis nurses, brought me home from the emergency room. Her Subaru was the perfect size to carry my walker and other stuff home.
She got to meet Andy while here, and he was the perfect kitty.
What I’m leaving mostly out is I chose to sleep today, and pretty much did it all day…till three police officers came into my bedroom to determine if I was alive or not.
The hospital tried to contact me, but the caller ID showed the phone number of the caller as 762-0666! That literally is any and everyone at a fairly large hospital. I no longer try to find out who called when I have that number pop up. I’m almost 78. I don’t have time to waste searching for the caller, being put on hold dozens of times, getting a “I’m not at my desk now, but will return blahblahblah….”
So, three police officers are there to find out why I haven’t answered the phone. On top of it, my sister told me not to clean because she and my niece would clean when they got here next weekend.
The apartment is a bigger mess than usual. I have pneumonia, for crap sake!!
I’d torn down my bed but hadn’t remade it.
I had not done much to straighten and clean because my sister told me not to. Andy’s shedding like it’s summer: the apartment looks like a pigsty!
On top of it, the police sergeant sees a clump of kitty hair or Greenies debris and assumes it’s all catshit! He asks for my sister’s phone number to verify the cleaning plan, of course, and I expect a new visit to make sure I’m competent and safe to live in catshit manor!
Whether I am physically up to it or not, I will get the big chunks taken care of before Kathy and Shannon arrive. I’ll feel better in a cleaner place, even if it is an ordeal to do.
Oh, there were bags of “used” cat litter that accumulated because I hadn’t worked out a safe way to get them to the dumpster. Brittany took all of them out!
The dialysis staff and patients are a little family at Box Butte General.
Good grief. Your luck is all running one way. Lucky you have awesome support at the dialysis center. Maybe things will improve with the weather.
Things are looking up after this was posted. One takes a mess analyzes it, and makes appropriate corrective action, which in done or on yhe works. That’s what I did in my job, so the habit is strong!
Doug
My hospital once sent me a text saying that there had been a cancellation and was unavailable, but the style and appearance looked as if a scammer was trying to get to me. I thought, “Yeah, nice try” but it genuinely was the hospital. I wondered if many patients had just ignored their notifications assuming them to be from hackers!
I have….
Doug
I hope you’re over the pneumonia soon. Glad you have Kyrie. Hope you don’t have any more stressful days like today.
I was put on a couple antibiotics and a strong probiotic (!) That teamed up on the bacteria and after just one day, I can feel better, that they’ll do the job. I’m not coughing so often. Just that alone is an improvement!
Doug
That’s great.
Kyrie is an angel on Earth. Sorry about the police coming. I hope you feel better soon.
I am feeling a lot better! Thanks!
As for the police, that’s pretty standard when there isn’t a response. I think I’ll give the dialysis unit a copy of my apartment key, though, so they can do the check instead of the police. I’ll ask them if that works for them.
Doug
Hope you are on the mend Doug ! I’m with you on the unsolicited visits…a deputy called me for a security check and the caller ID said “Restricted Number” He admitted it made sense for me not to answer. Purrayers to you and Andrew.
I am feeling better after starting the medications my doctor prescribed! I appreciate you – everyone’s – support these hectic, medical emergency and emergency room-filled days! I started reporting the breast cancer story because most men never think about men having it, so aren’t in the habit of self exams. (Honestly, most of us men would find it, tell ourselves it’d go away if we ignored it, then go stage 4 before someone in the family called for an ambulance. LOL!)
Doug
I am feeling better after starting the medications my doctor prescribed! I appreciate you – everyone’s – support these hectic, medical emergency and emergency room-filked days! I started reporting the breast cancer story because most men never think about men having it, so aren’t in the habit of self exams. (Honestly, most of us men would find it, tell ourselves it’d go away if we ignored it, then go stage 4 before someone in the family called for an ambulance. LOL!)
Doug
It sounds like you got the best treatment possible, Doug. I imagine the hospital had the cops check on you. I hope all this does as much good as possible for you.
It was a big surprise, as you can imagine, to wake up to a room full of policemen! Fortunately, the front door was set up for Andy to view the scene, so they didn’t have to break it down to get to me!
Doug
What a nightmare of a day, Doug! I am glad you have a good people looking after you that can help. Thoughts and prayers are with you and Andy, and all those who are helping you through this ordeal.
I feel a lot better today. The antibiotics are working. I’ve had less coughing and feeling of malaise. The ordeal of the other day did prove helpful in the end!
Doug
Great news! Glad to hear things are looking up!
It’s awful. But it sounds like you have a good support group to assist you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Thanks, Lou! Yes, I often forget just how extensive and reliable my support group is. I see others in dialysis getting this sort of help, think “That’s great the staff are that concerned and helpful,” then it’s my turn! I can’t praise the Box Butte General Hospital Dialysis Unit, Alliance, Nebraska, USA staff enough for how thoughtful and consistently they are there when you need them. Even Andy likes all of those she’s met. They are very professional when on the job, work well together as a health care team, and I accuse them of being able to walk a fraction of an inch above water. LOL!
Doug
This was stressful but on the flip side, you know someone will check up on you if something happens. I hope your pneumonia doesn’t affect your upcoming surgery. Take care.
I was concerned about that, too. I may have just slipped in under the wire. We’ll find out, eh?
Doug
Ohhh Doug you certainly had a whirlwind of a day… and thankfully nice people wanting to look out for you… your two nurses are gems… and we thank the police for checking in on you… as you say, your being the son of a chief of police, you understand how all unfolded. But yes it certainly was very stressful… traumatic. Glad your sister and niece will soon be with you to help… And we need you to get better soon… thinking of your upcoming surgery. Doug, a small aside, my husband is super organized and would vacuum and clean daily if i ‘allowed’ him to; i am not aflicted with that ‘gotta be perfectly orderly and clean’ gene… this has been a lifelong thing with me. I remember my dear Mom decades ago saying, to my not being able to answer the door and let people in unexpectedly due to not being ‘orderly and generally picked up’… she would comment that “Ed McMahon could be at the door with a million dollar winner’s prize; and we would miss it” because of my not being picked up enough to let anyone in. And too only those of the age to remember Ed McMahon would recall that time! Doug truly hoping you feel better soon… and that you’ll also feel better once your family arrives. Best love, thots, prayers with you and dear Andy…
My mother kept a reasonably orderly and clean home, considering she had four kids! I recall the rule of thumb being “make all the messes you want, but it’s up to you to clean them up.” It worked! I knew a mother of two boys who had white carpet (!) in her living room. The boys were never allowed in that room. My mother had thoughts on that!
The Ed McMahon story cheered me up! What a hoot!
I do feel better today (13th) so the antibiotics are kicking bacteria butt already! Yes, knowing I won’t be alone in an emergency is encouraging. I am blessed.
Doug
Doug, your dear mother was a wonderful woman.. a wonderful mom… and i am sure we both miss our mothers very much… no matter how long they are not here with us, we miss them terribly. I’m so thankful to know that you are feelng better; this is the best news.. and may you continue to feel better each day. Yes, to have generous people around us, confims we are blessed… and you and Andy are indeed very blessed. Loving prayers with you and Andy, and your sister and niece as they arrive to be with you…
Yes, and it always is fun to have oneself see a behavior you associated with a parent popping up in you!. When others who knew your parents notice their behavior in you, too, that’s fun
Doug
Yes fun!! and a great complement too!! We are grateful that the qualities of our parents follow thru in us!!
Thinking of you daily
Thank yoy,Derrick! I need it.
Doug
I appreciate all of the support you and the regulars have given me in this incredible lyrics complicated mess if a March.
Doug
Ugh, pneumonia is a huge drain on your energy. No wonder you were sleeping that day. I hope the police didn’t force your door open: in my building last year the cops came for a “welfare check” and broke the door to the apartment they were trying to get into…which happened to be the wrong unit! So I make sure to get the door when someone bangs on it, though like you, I probably wouldn’t have picked up the phone. Sheesh! I hope your sister gets there soon and cleans the place so they don’t send Adult Protective Services on you! You and Andy need a break!
I am the son of a chief of police and one thing I recognized in the sergeant was this “I feel I know the whole situation and nothing can change my mind” attitude I got out of my father sometimes. That’s why I will try to get a top layer off, freshen the air, deal with kitty poop in the litter box- I guess he doesn’t have a cat! – and make a list of what I need
my family to trash out for me that will be this year’s decluttering. My sister moved several times in her life – Wyoming, Illinois, Canada, Seattle, New Jersey, Seattle again, the Texas – so she has become an expert at reducing clutter in her life. I trust her to help me get rid od stuff that serves me no purpose! Earlier visits were very successful in that regard. As for breaking down the door, I leave it open, with a walker in frontbof it for Andy to check out the scene, so that breakdown business is spared the gentlemen. (They were very respectful, even with that”ols coot living in catshit” aspect.
Doug
we hope there is no annoiying stuff for you and the boy… hugs to you and we hope you can chase this pneumonia devil away..
A bit of attitude, yet
..live with a cat and cattitude is a dsilyy issue!
Doug
A visit from such a nice nurse who gave Andy some scritches is good; from the police, not so much! And bummer about the pneumonia, but so nice of the dialysis nurse to bring you meds and food. Many hopes and purrs from us that you recover quickly!
It all could have been handled by calling me from a phone that shows a caller ID as one of the nurses or as the dialysis unit. I have several of those. The police were professional, just not what you expect to wake up to. I’m a chief of policy’s kid, so I’m used to that quiet, in control business the best of them manage. It’s a matter of survival in violent situations, of course, and helps keep situations from getting out of control. Three officers, though? I guess three if there was a possibility- yes – of finding a rotting body.
Doug
Oh yeah! I had a hard time getting ready, my oxygen level went down so fast.
Doug